Prospect Profile: 2021 4-Star Jonas Aidoo
2021 Rivals150 No. 33 Jonas Aidoo de-committed from Marquette on Monday night opening the recruitment of one of the nation’s high upside bigs. This season Aidoo averaged 17 points, 11.5 rebounds, 2.5 assists and 3 blocks per game for a 23-3, nationally ranked, Liberty Heights program. Rivals.com’s Jamie Shaw takes a deep dive into Aidoo.
Who is Aidoo
Aidoo came out of nowhere last Summer to become one of the biggest names in the country for the 2021 class. Aidoo entered the travel ball season last June, with a single Appalachian State offer and no ranking. He ended the Summer with over 25 offers and a national No. 33 overall ranking.
Aidoo committed to Marquette on December 10, 2020 over a final group of ten schools that also included, Houston, South Carolina, Miami, NC State, Wake Forest, Georgia, Kansas, Tennessee and Providence.
What is His Game
Aidoo has a lot of tools that suit the modern game, starting with his ability to defend. He is a smart defender with loose hips that enable him to drop in coverage and switch. He is a natural rim protector with a lengthy wingspan and great timing, with both ends. Offensively, Aidoo is a noted 3-point shooter with perimeter skills, however this season, he developed his game on the block with a couple go-to moves over his right shoulder.
Aidoo is still young, just turned 18 years old in December, and he is not a finished product. Aidoo has done wonders with his body and frame this year, and he needs to continue to develop his core and his leg strength, but that will come. The major jump in his game was taken this year with the development of his confidence. As he continues to work, and as we laid out above, the sky's the limit for this true 7-footer.
Possible Suitors
At this point everyone in the country could use a center with pro potential. But Aidoo is just that, a center with pro potential, and he now realizes that. He and his group will look at each program and be focused on two things, who have they produced in the past and how do they use their bigs. Aidoo is a skilled big, who can step out and knock down jumpers in pick and pop, trail-5 or stretch situations. He can also play close to the basket or face up from the mid-range and attack off a bounce or two. He wants to be able to showcase his full arsenal while continuing to develop what he is able to do.
Aidoo is from Durham, North Carolina so he grew up admiring both the Duke and UNC programs, so look for both of them to be in the mix. Also, you cannot discount what Kentucky has been able to establish with sending players to the next level. Those would be the three schools to watch out for. A couple outside of the box thoughts would be him going back to Marquette with Shaka, who has had four centers in the league, with another set to be drafted this year. Also, looking at Mark Turgeon at Maryland, who has had four centers drafted since 2013.